In 2024 we had a wonderful hike from the Sabrina Lake trailhead up into the higher elevations of the Sierras. This time, I was blocked by a gate 2 miles early, and by snow drifts once I hiked up to the trailhead. The lake itself was low due to maintenance on the dam spillway. That's all part of the adventure.

Lake Sabrina was drawn down for dam repairs and the trails were still snow covered.

Buttermilk boulders is an area that's "world renowned" for not rock climbing, but bouldering. It's slightly hilarious to see folks hiking out to the boulder field with enormous cube backpacks on (sorry, no photos of this). These are their fall mats, like gym mats. They will free climb the boulders with the existing cracks and divots as handholds, but if they fall, it's good to not crush themselves at the base of the rock. I'm sure their parents approve. The rock is amazingly grippy, like granite, so that part is excellent for climbing, but if you pick at it a little, it just crumbles into coarse sand (not so good for anchoring!)

I enjoyed hiking among the formations and watching the people bouldering.

Dramatic Sunset over the Buttermilk boulders

The Mountain biking was both really good, and really challenging. Only 4WD roads were available, and they were very sandy and rocky, so each section had me wishing for the other. Wildflowers were wonderful!